Hero of Middle Earth
by Idrial Hawke
Summary: Arathorn comes to Kirkwall and marries Leandra. Champion of Kirkwall has 2 older half-sisters from Leandra's first marriage. Please R
1. Summary

Hero Of Middle Earth

Summary

Hello, my name is Arianna Idrial Amell Elendil, I am the eldest daughter of Leandra Amell Hawke of Kirkwall and King Arathorn Elendil of Gondor, Middle Earth . I'm mother's first child and my father's second. I was born in Kirkwall, which is a part of the Free Marches region of Thedas. My mother Leandra, and the rest of the Amell house had been a staple of the nobility of Kirkwall for generations. My mother is the eldest of 2, she has a younger brother named Gamlen. Their father (my Grandfather), Aristide Amell, died when I was very young. Their mother, Lady Amell (my Grandmother), died when my mother and Gamlen were very young.

Thedas is a continent in the southern Hemisphere. The word "Thedas" originates from Tevinter, once referring to all lands beyond the Imperium and eventually, it came to encompass the entire continent. A Native of Thedas is referred to as Thedosian.

Kirkwall, also known as The City of Chains due to its importance to the slave trade during the Tevinter occupation, is a coastal city-state and a major population center located in the Free Marches. It is on the southern edge of the Vimmark Mountains, east of the Planasene Forest, and north across the Waking Sea from Ferelden

Up until my dad came to Thedas from Middle Earth, the people of Thedas had just assumed that they were along in the world. Most still do. Middle Earth is a far away continent that is a bit larger than Thedas. It has 3 large kingdoms, 2 of them are in Gondor.

The North Kingdom and South Kingdom, and the other large kingdom is Rohan. There is also the Elvish kingdom of Lothlórien and Imladris as well as the Dwarvish hall of Moria in the mount of Khazad-dûm. Then, there is the dark kingdom of Mordor, ruled by an evil entity known as Sauron.

Gondor is one of the Dunedain kingdoms of Middle-earth, bordered by Rohan to the north, Belegaer to the west, Harad to the south, and Mordor to the east. Its first capital was Osgiliath. The capital was moved to the newly built fortress of Minas Tirith in TA 1640 and is a much more easily defensible location, being built upon the side of a mountain with seven different walls with seven different fortified gates. The city of Minas Tirith remains the capital of Gondor today, as well as I know it. The kingdom of Gondor was founded by Elendil in the Second Age of Middle Earth, year 3320 and committed by him to joint rule of his sons Isildur and Anarion. At the height of it's power (c. Third Age 1100), Gondor extended north to Celebrant, east to the Sea of Rhun, south to the River Harnen inland and Umbar on the coast, and west to Gwathlo

The Dúnedain were the Men who descended from the Númenóreans who survived the fall of their island kingdom and came to Eriador in Middle-earth led by Elendil and his sons. (It is said that Dunedain live three times longer than normal Men; that would translate into 240 to 250 years of average lifespan, given normal human lifespan of 80 years. The line of Kings of Gondor therefore decends from the people of Númenór, which means that I am a Dúnedan as was my father and King of Gondor.

My father told me the story once about how he initially came to Thedas. He was out sailing, breaking in his newest fishing ship, when Ulmo, a member of the Valar (a kind of deity in Middle Earth) that has the power over the oceans, caused a deep sleep to come over him and his crew. My father's crew were all conveyed somehow to another ship heading back to Osgiliath. Ulmo then led my father's ship farther out to sea than any other ship from Middle Earth had ever gone. Then, one day out from shore, Ulmo finally awakened Arathorn from his deep sleep and informed him of his purpose here. Arathorn was to find romance here and sire children on this continent that could help with dark times that are coming both here and back in Middle Earth.

My Mother and Father met after he arrived in Thedas at the port of Kirkwall, fell in love, and a few weeks later, got married. One year later, I was born.

I have an older brother back in Gondor named Aragorn Elendil and three younger sisters: Riona, Marian and Bethany. I also have one younger brother, Carver. All of my younger siblings were born in Thedas. Aragorn, of course, was born before our dad met my mother. All of the other siblings were born to mom, but Riona is the only other one of mixed Middle Earth and Thedas blood. Carver and Bethany are twins, Carver is fifteen minutes older than Bethany. The twins and Marian were born after my father left to return to Middle Earth and mother married my step-father, Malcolm Hawke. Myself, Riona and Bethany were born with magic. Magic has always run in my Mother's side of the family, and my step-father's side as well. My step-father is a mage too. In fact, he trained us all in magic.

When I was 3 years old my grandfather and mother got me to train with the Guard-Captain Idrial McKnight who is a close family friend. She trained me as a Rogue, and taught me how to fight with Daggers and Short and Long Bow. At first, she was really only babysitting me, she and my mother would call it "training" just to keep me interested, and it did the trick. She would show me alot of simple sword routines with wooden swords that I would practice frequently. After about a year or so, she began to notice that I had some real potential. By the time I turned 5, she began training me more rigorously so that now I am a full Duelist Rogue thanks to Guard-Captain Idrial. Idrial is one of mother's closest and dearest friends. They have known each other since childhood, and their parents were friends long before either my mother or Idrial were born.

At the age of 7 I showed signs of magic and my step-father taught me how to control my powers and moved the family out of Kirkwall to Ferelden so that I wouldn't be taken away from mother to the Circle Tower of Magi. That is where all the mages are kept once they are found to have magical ability, whether against their will or no, there is no freedom for mages in most of Thedas. Malcolm was able to get out with help from Ser-Maurevar Carver, a Templar.

The Templar Order is a military order of the Chantry that, amongst their duties, hunts apostates (free mages) and maleficarum (apostates who dabble in the dark arts such as blood magic and demon summoning) and watches over the mages from the Circle of Magi. Most of them think that all mages are bad and need to be controlled. That is not fully true, only some of them are. The ones that are evil use illegal magic known as blood magic and are called Maleficar.

Ferelden is a kingdom in southeastern Thedas. It was conquered by Orlais a century ago, when King Darlan ruled, but was freed through the efforts of King Maric Theirin, grandson of the old King Brandel. Maric's son is (the new) King Cailan Theirin.

You will hear more about my family and my adventures, as well as the kingdom of Gondor in Middle Earth, and if you ask nicely, maybe some more about my family history on the Amell and Elendil bloodline. But first, let's back up a bit and I'll tell you about some of my memories from childhood, including my training that I got through the years both with daggers, bows and magic.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Mother Leandra Amell and father Arathorn II were in love and married for a few years. but something happened in his homeland of Middle Earth that forced him to leave. To keep mother and I safe, he left us in Kirkwall. I was so heartbroken when dad left to go back to his homeland. Dad told me that I would be safer here in Kirkwall with Mom, my grandfather and Uncle Gamlen.

Dad knew he would not return, and knew also, that it would be too dangerous for us young children to endure the trip from Thedas to Middle Earth, he also knew that whatever was waiting for him there would put our lives in jeopardy, so he told Mom to go head and find her self a loving Man. One that will be nice and caring to her and me. And some one who would love me as if I was his own child.

A day or 2 after dad left mom told me that she's 5 months pregnant and I'll be a big sister in 4 months to a little baby brother or sister. I asked mom why her and Dad didn't tell me sooner. Mom said they were going to tell me soon, but then Dad got the message from Gondor about trouble that's going on there and throughout Middle Earth. That was alot of "big girl" stuff for just a 2 year old to have to understand.

By the fall I had turned 3 and I got word, while "training" with my mom's friend, that the baby was coming. Mom gave birth to a baby girl named Riona Amell. Mom called me into her room so that I could see Riona for the first time I climbed up onto her bed and Mom even let me hold Riona for a few minutes. I nicknamed Riona Ri. She calls me Ari because she had a hard time saying Arianna when we were little.

Mother met Malcolm Hawke a few weeks later and they started seeing each other on a regular basis. They got married soon after and then mother became pregnant with her 3rd child and Malcolm's 1st. Malcolm Hawke is a mage who left the circle just prior to marrying my mom. Kirkwall is a tough place for any mage, much less an apostate, so my parents decided to pack up all of our belongings and we all left for Ferelden. When we got to Ferelden we decided to go to the capital city of Denerim. Dad and Mom found a place for us to live just outside the marketplace. A few days after we arrived Marian was born. Marian was fascinated with Ri and I. I had asked Malcolm just before Marian was born if I could call him Dad and he said it was ok for both Ri and I to do so.

One day, not long after we moved in to Denerim, mom, dad and I went to get us all food and Ri stayed to look after Marian. When we were in the market we got to meet the Royal Family of Ferelden. King Maric, Queen Rowan and Prince Cailan Theirin.

Just two years after Marian was born, Ri snuck up behind me and began to tickle me. Instead of merely kicking, squirming and laughing, I screamed and, suddenly, Ri went flying across the room, but instead of crashing into the wall, she stopped about a foot short and hovered for a second before falling to the floor. Malcolm figured out that we had both manafested our magical abilities. Mom was so worried that she would lose both of us to the Tower of Magi. Dad taught both Ri and I how to control our powers and cast spells. I soon learned how to cast Fire, and Cold which are Elemental Spells and Healing, which is Creation. My specializations are Spirit Healer and Elemental Spells.

About a week or so later, I was out and training with my daggers and King Maric saw me and called me over. I though that I was in big trouble, but it was the opposite. He asked me if I wanted to spar.

"You want me to spar you your Majesty?." I asked, suprised.

"Not me, Arianna, my son Prince Cailan is looking for sparring partners. He has a wooden longsword that he uses for training. Do you have any wooden daggers that you can use? If not, I can ask my Quartermaster to make you 2 daggers." The king answered.

"I have some back inside the house in my bedroom. Your Majesty how do you know if the Prince would want to spar with me? Some boys don't like playing with girls."

"Arianna he asked me to see if you would want to spar and just generally be friends with him. There aren't any other children his age at court, so he gets bored frequently."

"Ok I would like that Sir."

I ran to the house to grab my wooden daggers and quickly returned to see prince Cailan already there, waiting for me. We were having fun sparring when my sister Ri approached me.

"What are you doing Ari? Your going to get into alot of trouble." Ri scolded as only a little sister could.

"What do you mean Ri?" I asked, wondering whether I had forgotten to carry out the laundry again.

"Thats Prince Cailan, the Kings son. He may have you put in jail."

"No he won't Ri. Everything is ok. I was asked to spar with him by King Maric himself, Cailan wants to be friends with me."

"Whats wrong, Arianna?" The prince asked as he came over to see what our little pow-wow was all about.

"My sister Riona though that I would be in trouble sparring you." I replied.

"It's ok Riona. Your sister Arianna is my friend now and you can be too." The prince offered as he stood with his hand outstretched ready for her handshake.

Right after dinner that day someone came to the door. Dad, answering the door, told us that it was king Maric and 2 of the palace guard.

"I told you that you would be in big trouble." Ri said, looking at me with the trademark 'I told you so' expression native to all younger siblings.

"Arianna what did you do?" Mother asked.

"Mom I didn't do anything, King Maric came to me and asked if his son Cailan and I would like to spar. I said ok and we both had fun." I told her.

Thankfully king Maric stepped in and told her that everything was ok. "I came here to see if you would allow Arianna to train at the castle in combat training. I saw that she is very proficient with her daggers. I'll have special daggers and leather armor made up for her to keep her safe."

"Please mommy? Can I please? It'll be just like training with Idrial in Kirkwall!" I asked, looking at my mom. Finally,after a minute or two that seemed like an eternity, mom said yes

"Arianna please be careful." She said to me and then looked at King Maric. "Your Majesty please tell whoever teaches Arianna to not hit her too hard."

"Mrs. Hawke she will not hit Arianna to hard." Mom and I both looked at each other. He laughed and then added that my trainer will be his wife, Queen Rowan.

"WOW!" I exclaimed. "I'm going to be trained by Queen Rowan?"

"She saw you and Cailan sparring earlier. She said you have good potential and with some more hard work you would be a great adventurer, or Captain of the Guard, or even a general. Also, you would be able to protect yourself and family if it ever came down to that. Of course, I hope it never does."

The next day Mom came into the bedroom I was sharing with Ri and Marian and woke me up to get ready for my first big day and then asked me to help her get the table set for breakfast. After I finished with that, she asked me to wake up Riona and Marian and tell them that breakfast will be ready in 5 minutes or so.

Ri got up when I put my hand on her shoulder and said her name. Marian was much harder to wake up.

"Ri please help me get our baby sister up." I asked.

Ri had this big grin on her face and I knew right away what she was thinking. Ri and I got her up by tickling her on her tummy and feet. Marian first screamed then started laughing so hard that she almost fell out of bed. I helped her to get on her feet before I let go of her.

After breakfast I got ready to leave the house to meet Queen Rowan for my first day of training. As I opened the door to leave I was greeted by a royal guard to escort me to the palace. King Maric met me at the door.

"Good morning your majesty." I greeted the king.

" Good morning Arianna. Did you eat a good breakfast?" He inquired as Queen Rowan came up behind him.

"Good morning Arianna." The queen said.

"It's an honor to be here and to be trained by you Queen Rowan." I said, then turned back to the king. "Yes, my king, I did eat a full breakfast."

"Good, her ladyship will work that meal right out of you." He replied as the royal couple showed me to the armory to get me fitted for armor and to get my daggers.

"Jack are you here?" King Maric asked.

"Yes your highness please come in." Jack, the armory sargent replied. He gave a tip of his helm to me and asked "Is this the young lady that you're going to be training?"

"Yes this is Arianna." The queen introduced me and I bowed to him. "Please get her sizes that you'll need so that you can get started on fitting her for a suit of armor."

"Right away, Majesties." He replied. "I have what i need now and i'll get to it immediately."

"Thank you Jack." Queen Rowan said.

I was led by Queen Rowan to the training room where she started training me with the basics on how to get to my dagger as fast as possible so that I can stop an attack on me or one of my family or friends. We had been in the combat training room for 3 hours or so and Prince Cailan came in to see how I was doing so far and to see if he could spar me for a few minutes.

"Arianna would you want to spar Cailan?" The queen asked.

"Can I have a little break first?" I asked, being tired and thirsty. "We've been at this for 3 hours now, and I'm dying of thirst."

"Sure Arianna you can rest first, and I will send one of the servants to fetch us some tea." said a smiling Queen Rowan. "I've worked up a thirst as well."

"I wouldn't turn down a spot of tea right now either." Said Prince Cailan as he rang a silver bell resting on a stand over to the side of the room. Almost immediately, a servant entered the room and the order was placed.

"I'll go get you all some tea." He said and then quickly vanished.

After the break, when we had all had our fill and rested, I got up and told them that I was ready.

Cailan and I began to spar, and I decided to try a disarm move that Guard Captain Idrial had taught me. I waited for the prince to thrust with his wooden training sword, then turned my body aside, letting the sword miss me on my right while placing my right-hand dagger point downward on the other side of the blade and then catching the hilt of the sword with my left-hand dagger. Then I pushed with my left while simultaneously pulling with my right. The sword came free of Cailan's hand and clattered behind me. I then thrust my dagger at him as if I were going in for the kill, but then smiled and began to playfully trace the point of the dagger across his armor as if I were writing my name. He stared at me the whole time open-mouthed, while off to the side, I heard the queen clapping and laughing.

"Where did you learn that move?" Cailan asked, dumbfounded.

"That was one of the first things that guard-captain Idrial of Kirkwall taught me." I replied.

3 years have passed since we've been in Denerim. Riona is now 6 and a half, Marian is 3, and in 3 months I will turn 10. Mom and my Step-father called us all in for a family meeting and mom told us that we are going to have a new family member coming in a few months.

"Mom you're pregnant with a baby thats great news." I exclaimed.

Ri and I are both very happy. Marian is a little bit confused about this.

She came up to me and asked. "Whats going on sis?"

"Marian you're going to be a big sister, just like Ri and I." I told her. "We are gonna have a baby brother or baby sister in a few months from now."

Right after Ri and I got done Explaining to Marian about Mom being pregnant a knock on the door came. Ri got up and answered the door and there was a lady at the door looking paniced.

"Ari it's for you." Ri said hurredly. "Sis, she looks very scared and worried."

"Miss Kat what's wrong?" I recognized her at Katherine, one of the servants at the palace.

"It's Queen Rowan she need help." She cried.

"WHAT?"

"Some men are attacking her outside the gate. She asked me to come get you and to see if your step-father will also help. That would be greatly appreciated.

Both my dad and I along with Ri were all immediately in motion for the door. Me grabbing my red steel daggers that the king and queen had given me only a week before, Ri and Malcolm grabbing their staffs.

"Yes ma'am I will help." Our stepdad said. "Come on Arianna, get your daggers FAST!"

"I already have them Dad lets GO!"

"I'm coming too! I have a couple of spells I could throw at them." Ri called out as she headed out the door behind us.

I called back to Miss Kat to go get King Maric and some guards for help.

As soon as we got there, Ri casted a haste spell on all of us and I casted a freezing spell on a man that was about to cut Queen Rowan's head off. It froze him in place just long enough for one of the gate guards to deal the killing blow. Another came at me with a thrust, and I used the same disarm move on him that I had used on prince Cailan in our first sparring match in the palace, except this time, instead of letting the sword fall to the ground behind me, I spun around and launched it back at him point first, coming in behind it and plant a dagger in his thigh. As he, naturally, doubled over with the pain of a blade being embedded in his leg, I came up with my other dagger and got him in the throat. He was dead before he hit the ground. I saw another man heading for Ri. She staggered him with an earth spell, giving me time enough to get over to him and cut both of his hamstring muscles. Then all of a sudden, I hear Dad telling me to get down. I ducked immediately and not a 1 second later a fireball went right over my head, at a guy that was coming up behind me. It killed him and some of the others behind him. I then threw both of my daggers into the neck of a guy that was about to swing an axe at the queen.

When the fight was over I looked around for Queen Rowan and saw her on the ground badly injured. King Maric was already at her side. He was the only one that showed, and asked Dad if he can help him carry his wife to the palace to their room. When we got to their room he looked at Dad and said "I saw you cast a fireball out there. can you please help my wife?"

Dad cast his healing spell over her and I saw the look on his face and knew it wasn't good.

"Dad what's wrong?" I asked.

"She lost too much blood and has a lot of broken bones, and she has blood in her lungs." He said with a pained look on his face. "I'm sorry your Majesty Queen Rowan not going to make it through the night."

"Malcolm can't you do anything to help her?" Maric pleaded, on the verge of tears.

"Sir. I can cast a spell that can help her with the pain, so that she'll not suffer as bad."

"Please do that." Said Rowan and Maric at the same time.

Rowan looked at me. "Please see if you can find Cailan for me."

"Yes your highness." I said obediently.

"I saw him last in the armory Arianna." said Maric.

I got to the armory and didn't see Cailan there. I yelled "JACK!"

He came out from his storage room, "Arianna whats with the hollering?"

"Have you seen Cailan anywhere?"

"He's in the storage room looking at swords."

Cailan came out and looked at me. "Hi Arianna." He said, then he looked closer at me and saw that i was crying. "Whats wrong?"

"It's your mom." I told him between sobs. "Some bandits attacked her outside the city gate. It's not good. She's in her bedroom. You need to come now, she may not last the night."

"What?" He said, as if he had heard that the sky was green. "Lets go."

Back in the royal room Cailan went right to his mom. She told him what happened, said that Malcolm, Ri, and I had come to her rescue. "They had already done their harm to me. Arianna and her dad killed the man that hurt me."

Cailan looked over at us and he came over and hugged me and shook dad's hand, thanking us for taking out the man that hurt his mom.

Rowan looked at me. "Arianna come here please."

"Yes your highness?" I said, coming closer.

"You have learned very well over the last year since I started training you. I'm very proud of you Arianna."

"Thank you Queen Rowan. I had a very good teacher, and I loved every single day."

"Malcolm thank you for all that you've done." Maric said. Then he looked at me. "Your dad's magic will be kept a secret between us. You don't have to worry about the Chantry finding out about you, your dad, or Riona."

Cailan looked at us. "You're mages?

"Yes Cailan, I'm a mage." I replied.

"WOW! COOL!" He exclaimed

The next morning King Maric sent a call out to all of Denerim to gather at the palace gate where everyone was given the bad news about Queen Rowan's death. Everyone throughout Ferelden was saddened by the news. King Maric's brother, Arl Eamon of Redcliffe, and his family came to Denerim to say their goodbyes to the Arl's sister-in-law. Eamon and Maric both said their last goodbyes to her just before the wake. King Maric then asked me if I would launch the arrow at the boat that had his beloved wife the Queen's body in it. Of course, I said yes. Still, it was hard not to be in shock of him asking me, a non-native. Shooting that arrow was one of the saddest things I had ever done.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

It was been 3 months since Queen Rowan's death and King Maric and Prince Cailan had been trying to get on with their lives. They knew that Rowan wouldn't want them to be sad and moping around the rest of their lives. I tried my best to help them both whenever I could. Jack undertook our training, and I would spar with Cailan a little bit just to help him get his mind off of things. Jack reminded us both that the queen would have wanted the both of us to continue. Just like Queen Rowan, he worked hard teaching us every day except for the Makers day, that was the day for all of us to be in the Chantry. Most Fereldens, including both the Royal family and my family, are strong believers in the Maker.

Finally, my 10th birthday came and Mom gave me a gift that she said was from my dad.

"Arianna your dad gave this to me before he left for his home and asked me to give it to you when you turned 10." She said, as she pulled this huge sphere out of a cloth bag. It looked just like a gigantically oversized marble. "It's called a palantir. It's a communications device used by high kings throughout your dad's realm of Middle Earth. He brought it with him when he first came to Thedas. That's how he knew what was going on and when he needed to return to Gondor. He left it here for you so that he could talk to you once he decided that you were old enough to use it."

I looked at mom and asked, "When can I try to talk to Dad?"

_ "NOW." _ I heard a voice_. I looked at the palantir and see my dad's face for the first time in 8 years. It looked a bit older than I remembered._

_ "Hello Arianna." _ He said_. "Happy Birthday to my pretty little girl!"_

_ "Hi Dad," _I replied,_ "thank you. Where are you now?"_

_ "I'm home, in my castle of Minas Tirith in Gondor of Middle-Earth. I've been here ever since I left you and your mom in Kirkwall."_

_ "We're not in Kirkwall anymore," _ mom informed him _"we are in Denerim, the Capital of Ferelden. We moved here over five years ago, and now, I am a mother of 3, soon to be 4."_

_ "Who is your new father-figure around the house?" _He asked.

_ "My step-dad Malcolm." _ I answered._ "He is very nice, and he's good to us all."_

_ "I didn't know that you moved out of Kirkwall. Arianna are you happy with where you are living now?"_

_ "Yes, daddy, I love it here. We are all friends to the royal family of Ferelden. Queen Rowan was training me along with prince Cailan in combat and the prince and I spar regularly. She said that I was a quick learner."_

_ "That's great Arianna."_

_ "Unfortunately, Queen Rowan was killed 3 months ago by some men. Malcolm and Riona and I tried to help her, but she was already badly injured and bleeding out. She died about an hour or so later."_

_ "I'm so sorry to hear about that happening to her. It's good to see that you're ok from the fight." _At that point, he shifted gears_. "Honey I have to tell you something."_

_ "What!"_

_ "The reason why I left."_

_ "ok"_

_ "I left because my father became very ill and I had to get back home to see him before he died." _ He began to explain. _ "You see, your Grandfather was the king of Gondor. and I was his heir. That means that now I'm the king." _ As he said this, he put a crown, the crown of the King of Gondor, on his head. _ "That makes you and Riona the princesses of Gondor."_

_ "Wait."_ My mind needed to catch up with my eyes and ears, so I said my thoughts out loud to get them straight in my head. _"I'm a princess of a place I have never been to, seen, and that no one in Thedas has even heard of outside of this family." _ I looked away from dad and saw mom and Ri standing there looking at me with their mouths open.

_ "Not only that, but you are second behind my son, and eldest, Aragorn for the throne of Gondor. Well, I'm going to have to go now honey. I have a meeting that I have to get to. I will try to see you agian in a few days. ok, princess?"_

_ "Yes, dad."_

_ "I love you Arianna and I hope you have a good day."_

_ "Love you too."_

_ "Goodbye."_

_ "Bye bye."_

The next 6 months passed relatively uneventfully until it came time for mother to have the baby. Ri, Marian, and I were all hoping that we would have a baby brother, but of course, we didn't know for sure. All of us were outside playing around town with Cailan when we heard. King Maric sent guards out to look for us. The one that found us brought us back to our house, where the King was with dad and the King's midwife was helping mom give birth. We entered to the sound of our mother screaming with the agony of childbirth, letting us know that the baby was coming soon. Maric looked at Cailan and took him back to the palace, saying that he thought it better if it were just my family there when baby first arrives.

Ri and I remembered this from when Marian was born, but Marian got scared when she heard mom screaming that she started to run, shouting for her mommy, but I got to her first and told her that mommy would be ok very soon.

"It's just the baby coming thats all." I assured her.

About an hour later Dad came out of their bedroom holding a baby boy. "Girls meet your new baby brother, Carver."

Right when Dad was about to let me hold Carver, mom called for both dad and I to come to her fast.

"Whats wrong mom?" I asked as I entered.

"Darling, I'm still in labor."

Dad placed his hand on mom's belly and looked at me and told me to put my hand on her belly. Sure enough, I felt the baby in there.

"Darling your going to have to help deliver this baby so that Malcolm can hold Carver."

Half-an-hour later I helped deliver my baby sister. Mom and Dad both looked at each other and then to me.

"Arianna, how would you like to name your baby sister?" Malcolm asked me.

"You're going to let me name her?" I couldn't believe it. "WOW!" I thought for a minute. "How's Bethany?"

"That's a great name." Mom said.

I sat down next to mom on her bed when dad stepped out to get Ri and Marian to come meet Carver and Bethany. Ri took Carver from dad's arms and came over to the side I was sitting on to see Bethany. Marian bolted right to mommy, crying. Mom asked me why Marian was so scared and I told her when we first came into the house after getting word of her being in labor... "she heard you screaming."

Mom smiled at me and then gave Marian a big hug to show her that she's ok. Ri handed Carver to mom and asked if she could hold Bethany for a while so that Marian can see Carver and Bethany up close for the fist time. For the rest of the day, we stayed home and just reveled in the happiness of the new family members finally being here.

The royal midwife, a servant-nurse named Amanda, then left to the palace, saying that she would deliver the news that twins, Carver and Bethany had arrived. I spent the rest of the day in mom and dad's room with the babies so that mom could rest before they had to be fed. Ri went outside to play with Marian until it was time for dinner to be cooked. Ri was getting ready to start cooking when I walked up to her and asked her if she wanted me to cook and give her a chance to help mom and dad with the twins. Ri went into the bedroom to be with our parents and the twins. Marian stayed in the kitchen with me because she doesn't quite know how to act around babies. Not long after I started cooking Marian started to bug me about wanting to play.

"Marian I have to cook right now," I told her, "maybe after we eat dinner I'll play, ok?"

"Ok sissy."

Mom came out of her room and saw me cooking. "You don't have to cook darling."

"It's ok mom I can do this, you had a big day being in labor all day giving birth to twins." She still looked drained, so I added. "You need to rest and let me do this for you today. If you don't want me to cook by myself you can watch me. If the twins are asleep send Ri out to help get the rest of the stuff ready."

"Sissy, I'll help you!" I heard Marian say.

"Can you set the table for me, please?"

The next morning, I felt my arm being poked and jabbed and hear mom calling my name. Once I finally wedged my eyes opened, I saw mom looking as if she didn't get a wink of sleep all night. She asked me if I would help feed Bethany while she fed Carver. Dad was cooking breakfast, with the help of Ri and Marian. After we got done eating I went to get Maric and Cailan so that they could meet Carver and Bethany for the first time. When I got back home, Ri greeted us and said the twins just woke up from their nap.

"We are all in the living room so that you can meet the babies." Riona instructed.

I walked up to them and Bethany looked at me and just watched my every move. Every time I moved, her eyes would follow me. Then, she began to cry because I didn't come to her first. When I got to her and picked her up, she stopped crying.

"Darling I think Bethany is fascinated with you." Mom said. "Look at that big smile on her face. Be a good sister to her, just like you are to Riona and Marian."

"Your Majesty, prince Cailan, this is Bethany and Mom is holding Carver." I introduced.

Cailan asked which one was the older.

"Carver is a half-hour older than Bethany." I answered.

"Bethany looks very content in your arms Arianna." Cailan surmised.

"You're right, prince Cailan." Mom replied. "She loves being in Arianna's arms. Of course, she loves being held a lot, anyways. Carver loves to sleep more than he likes to be held. Bethany cries when no one holds her unless she is sleeping. Of course, they are only a day old, so this may change in a few days or so."

"M'lord," Malcolm interjected, bowing as he did so, "may I burden you for a blessing on these twins?"

"It is no burden for me, good Hawke. You and your house have meant more to my family than any other in Denerim. Especially for your help in trying to save Rowan's life. Bring them to me." The king began to kneel as he said this. Mom and I brought the twins close to His Majesty, mother with Carver, and me holding Bethany. Then the king began his blessing. "May the Maker watch over you, and keep you safe from harm. May the sun always rise on your hopes, and set on your troubles. May you both never hunger, never thirst, and never lack for a warm bed to rest your eyes. May your health be good, your love be strong, and your children be prosperous."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Mom said, with a tear glistening in her eye.

"Marian," the king asked while getting back to his feet, "what do you think about your baby sister and brother?"

"I don't know yet." She replied. "Bethany is a cutie. Carver just sleeps alot, right Ari?"

"That will change soon Marian, they will be up and walking in 8 months or so and you will be able to play with them." I said. "You, Ri and I are going to be good big sisters to Carver and Bethany right?"

"Yes." They both replied.

"Mom, can I try to see if I can talk to dad?" I asked. "That is, if you don't need me right now to help with the twins."

"If you want to darling, go ahead, you can talk to him." She replied. "Please go to your room. That way the twins won't get woken up."

"Ok, thank you."

"You're going to talk to your real father?" Cailan asked. "How? I thought he went to a far off land?"

"Come with us and watch." Riona said. "He's my dad too."

I went to my room upstairs and took the palantir out of its box that we used to prevent any accidental contact. I stared into the depths of the dark orb, and called out my father's name.

_"Arathorn Elendil. Hello... Dad, are you there?"_

_ "Why, hello Arianna." _ He said, looking at me through his palantir. He looked kingly with his royal robes and wearing his crown_. "How are you doing today?"_

_ "I'm doing good." _I replied, beaming.

_ "Has your mother had the baby yet?"_

_ "Yes. I'm a big sister again."_

_ "That's good. How are Leandra and the baby?"_

_ "Mom and the babies are all good."_

_ "Babies?" _He looked suprised, as I knew he would.

_ "Yes mom had twins: Carver and Bethany."_

_ "Wow, now you have a little brother and sister. You're going to have alot of fun when they get old enough to walk and run around the house. I hope that you will help your mother and step-father out when they get that age. Twins will be twice the handful for them."_

_ "I will dad. I have always helped with Riona and Marian too."_

_ "Arianna I have someone that I would like for you to meet. He has been wanting to meet you for a few years now."_

_ "Who would that be?"_

_ "Your older brother, Aragorn."_

Suddenly, a younger image of Arathorn stepped into view. I swore to myself that it looked like what a childhood portrait of my dad would have looked.

_ "Hello Aragorn." _I greeted.

_ "Mane omentie Arianna," _ He replied_._

_ "Ah... what?"_

_ "Haha, I said Good meeting. I have learned to speak elvish."_

_ "Oh, that was pretty. I can only speak common."_

_ "We can teach you how to speak Elvish when we talk here on the palantir if you would like to learn."_

_ "Sure."_

_ "What word would you like to learn first?"_

_ "Can you teach me how to say mom?"_

_ "Naneth is the word for Mother. Go head and try to say it."_

_ "Naneth"_

_ "Good. How is Naneth?"_

_ "She's good. She stays tired from getting woken up at all hours of the night."_

_ "Arianna is she ok?"_

Aragorn must not have been listening when I told dad. Heck, if you can't tell your brother about your mother, who can you tell._ "My mom gave birth to twins a few days ago."_

_ "Ohh, yes. I guess that would be a good reason why she's not getting too much sleep. Are the twins both girls or boys."_

_ "A boy and a girl. Carver is a half-hour older than Bethany."_

_ "Sister, do they sleep at all?"_

_ "Yes. Carver sleeps all the time, and Bethany likes being with someone at all times or at least a good amount of the time." _ I heard my name from downstairs. _ "Hold on a minute, Ri is calling me. Honey, is every thing ok?"_

_ "Oh I see a baby!" _ Aragorn exclaimed happily as Riona stepped up to me._ "Who do you have in your arms?"_

_ "I have Bethany." _ I replied._ "Ri will have Carver on her side of the room."_

_ "Who's Ri?"_

_ "Ri is our sister. Her full name is Riona." _ As I introduced her, she waved at Aragorn's image in the orb. Aragorn waved back.

_ "That's a pretty name."_

_ "Thank you, brother." _ Riona said.

_ "You're welcome, sister." _ He replied.

_ "Mom was five months pregnant with her when our dad left Thedas to return to Gondor. Malcolm is Naneth's husband, now. His oldest child is my sister Marian. You may hear her soon too."_

_ "Sister, how many siblings do you have?"_

_ "4. 3 sisters and 1 brother. Well, 2 brothers counting you." _ I began to do a little figuring in my head. 1 full sister, 2 half-sisters, and 2 half-brothers. My mind was swimming with the details._ "Haha! How many siblings do you have Aragorn?"_

_ "Just you and Riona, Arianna."_

Dad came back to his palantir, so that I could see him._ "We had better let you go so that you can take care of your baby sister, Bethany." _ He said, resting his hand on Aragorn's head. _ "She is a cutie pie. When you see your mother say 'Naneth' to her."_

_ "She won't know it." _ I said. I had never heard mother speak any elven.

_ "Yes she will. If she remembers it, she will. I called her that when she first told me she was pregnant with you."_

_ "Ok, dad, I will say it to her now as long as she's not resting."_

_ "Oh, yes. Don't wake her. Love you, Honey."_

_ "Bye Arianna it was so nice to meet you." _ Aragorn said.

_ "Love you too dad, and bye Aragorn. It was nice to meet you. bye bye"_

_ "Oh wait Arianna!" _ My father blurted out like something had just occurred to him.

_ "What!" _ I asked, not knowing what to expect.

_ "How are your Uncle and Grandfather?"_

_ "I guess they are good. I haven't seen them since we left Kirkwall. Mom I think sent a letter to them yesterday to tell them about the birth of the twins and told them how Ri, Marian, and I are doing."_

After I said my goodbyes to Dad and Aragorn I put the palantir back in the box. I put it in my closet. Then I went over to Ri's side of the room to talked to her and to check on Carver.

"Ari! Do you not trust me?" Ri asked, looking almost offended.

"Yes, I trust you Ri." I replied soothingly. "I just feel that it's my job as the oldest to check on you and Marian and now Carver and Bethany and Mom and Dad."

"I am so lucky to have a sister like you Ari, always so caring and loving to all of us!"

We went back downstairs to join everyone else. Malcolm and Maric were sitting at the kitchen table sipping on cups of coffee while discussing affairs of state. Mother, meanwhile, was asleep, still sitting in the chair that she was in when I went upstairs. I guess she heard the three of us coming down the stairs, because I suddenly heard a snort, followed by "Maker, I must have dosed off for a moment... Hey, where did everyone get to?"

"Mane omentie, naneth." I greeted her.

"Aneth ara, or andaran atish'an, are the elven greetings here in Thedas." She replied. "The elves of Middle Earth and those here in Thedas have two vastly different languages. Did Arathorn teach you that greeting, sweetie?"

"No, Aragorn, his eldest, taught me those words, but dad did tell me to say 'naneth' to you."

"Oh, so you got to meet your older half-brother."

"Yes, he is the spitting-image of daddy."

"Dad!" Cailan seized the scant opportunity to squeeze a word through our conversation. "Arianna and Riona's dad is the king of that faraway land. He had the robes, the crown, and everything!"

Just about that time, the twins started crying because they were hungry, so mother took them, and the rest of us moved outside. While us kids played in the marketplace, Maric and Malcolm talked for a while longer, and then they called us all together and opened the door so that mom could hear as His Majesty spoke.

"I have made a decision about something that I have been giving alot of thought since the day Queen Rowan was taken from us." The king's eyes gleemed even through the tears that were welling up at the memory of his lost love. "You girls, and your stepdad, performed sensationally in the attempt to save her life, and I have decided to show my gratitude by appointing Malcolm as Court Wizard."

The next day, Ri, Dad and I went to the palace to train in one of their training rooms. King Maric had told us that we could do magic training anytime he was there. That way he could keep his guards away when we train and learn new spells from dad.

"Arianna," dad began after we had done a bit of a warm-up, "I think you have done well with the spells that you currently have, what spell would you want to master next?"

"I would love it if you can teach me a stronger healing spell." I replied. "That way I can be a better Spirit healer."

"Ari you will make a great Healer." Ri complemented.

"Thank you Ri." I said. "What are you going to have as your new spell?"

"Hm." Ri thought for a moment. "Dad, I would like to learn Lightning."

"Ok both of you will learn what you like." He replied. "Ok. Arianna, lets try this." He showed me some hand gestures, the semantic part of the spell. "For this healing spell, you have to reach deep down for more of your mana than you have ever tried to muster for one spell before. Bring your mana to your hands like you would for the healing spell that you already know, and then use the semantic gestures that I just showed you and bring as much mana as you can muster, except for what is already in your hands, into your chest. Then, when you feel yourself getting warm from the mana build-up in your chest, use that last semantic gesture to release it all out through your hands. You already have the mana in your hands set for healing, the rest of the mana gets expelled through your hands and follows the same pathway that the initial healing energy created, and the first bit of healing energy will convert all of the energy that follows into doing more of the same. Got it?"

"I think so, dad, thank you." He then walked over to Ri and instructed her on how to cast lighting. Then dad told her to cast it at him and our eyes went wide.

"Dad are you crazy?" Riona said. "Lighting can kill."

"Girls, this isn't a killing spell, it's a weak one. It will only wound me, not kill me." Dad assured us. Then he turned to me. "Arianna, I'll have Riona cast lightning, and you can heal me with the greater heal spell that I just taught you. That way, you are both able to use your new spells."

"Ari, I don't know if I want to do this." Riona said, still scared. "Mom would not be very happy with me if I hurt Dad, and Marian will be terrified of me and not want to come near me ever again."

"No she won't be Riona. I've been hit with this one before, actually." Malcolm Hawke assured her again. "Your big sister will heal me as good as new."

"Ri, just be very careful when you cast your spell." I said. "I'll get to him fast after your spell gets cast."

"Ok, I'm ready now, Riona. Cast your spell at me."

Ri took a deep breath and cast the spell at dad. Immediately, after the spell hit him I went to dad's side to heal him. I felt all of the extra magical energy go down my arms and leave through my hands. It worked.

"Dad's ok Ri. The new healing spell made him look good as new just like dad said."

"WOW, Riona, that was amazing!" Prince Cailan exclaimed. "Mr. Hawke I can't believe you just let Riona do that to you."

"Haha," dad laughed as he regarded Cailan, "young prince, I want to make sure that Riona knows how to cast attacking spells. Most of the spells that I have been teaching Riona and Arianna are to defend against magic. Some of their spells need to be attacking spells, especially Riona, since Arianna is so good with her swords. Arianna is wanting to know all of the healing spells that I know. Having Ri hit me with her lightning spell was just a good way to get Arianna to try the new greater heal spell that she learned."

"Hi Cailan." I greeted. "How long have you been watching us practice?"

"I walked in right before Riona casted her lighting spell, and then I watched you cast your heal." Cailan replied.

"Arianna knows some attacking spells too." Riona interjected.

"Yes I do know some attacking spells." I said. "Dad said it's always good to know a wide range of spells to be well rounded. That way we can defend ourselves and attack the enemy in equal measure.

"I'm just happy that your step-dad didn't get badly hurt from your little sister's spell." The prince said. "It's a good thing that you were able to heal him with no problems."

"That's why dad had us do the spells in that order."

"Arianna, Malcolm, I'm sorry to interrupt, but have you seen Cailan?" King Meric said as he poked his head in the doorway."

"Yes, Your Majesty, he's right here." Dad replied.

"I asked him not to bother you." The king said as he gave his son a stern look.

"Father, I just wanted to see what they were doing that's all." The prince replied, sheepishly.

"It's quite alright, your Majesty." Malcolm said. "Cailan had just gotten to the door when the girls were spellcasting, and we haven't cast anything since he came in. We'll make sure that he is out of the way when we use our magic so he doesn't end up as collateral damage."

King Maric gave a slight chuckle at the wink that Malcolm gave him with that last remark. "I know that you say it's ok, but if Cailan stays here with you, then his nan and the rest of the palace guards will start to look for him." The king explained. "If they see him here with all of you and they see you using magic, they will try to take you girls away to the Circle of Magi, and the templars will hurt your dad for harboring you and I will lose the support of the Chantry if we get into a war. Then the two of you will have to stay in the tower for the rest of your lives."


End file.
